Method and device for producing automatically shaped tubular knitwear items and products obtained thereby

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to tubular knitwear items ( 1 ) suitably shaped or modeled without the usual cutting and sewing operations and preferably without using elastic yarns. According to the jacquard design and/or to the work cycle of the textile machine, the invention enables the production of differentiated-growth fabric in specific areas or zones by the programmed exclusion of loops or knitted courses and the simultaneous production of exceeding stitches or inner frills (Bi), thus obtaining a programmed three-dimensional deformation of the knitted tube according to manufacturing needs.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The introduction of “full electronic” circular knitting machines withdifferentiated diameters has attracted the knitting industry's interestsince the versatility of these machines allows to produce a wide rangeof semi-finished tubular items, such as for instance bras, pants,dresses, trousers, skirts, teddies, swimsuits, technical items, andmore.

As is generally known, from the technical-textile point of view saiditems can be modeled or shaped only partly, since current manufacturingtechniques, partly incisive, cannot model the various anatomic portionsin a complete, pleasant and satisfying way, as is required by the largenumber of sizes.

This manufacturing difficulty, on the one hand, obliges producers oftextile machines to manufacture a large series of tubular machines withvery close diameters and fineness degrees, so as to reach a higherprecision in the graduation of the final extensibility of the garment,and therefore of the user's comfort.

On the other hand, in order to make up for the reduced capacity ofshaping or modeling suitably and automatically said items in varioussizes with a reduced number of diameter and fineness degrees, knitwearmanufacturers are forced to use very expensive elastomeric yarns to agreater extent, i.e. highly “elastic” yarns which can suitably hug orcompress anatomic portions.

The high cost of said yarns permanently and continuously affects generalmanufacturing costs, and considering the excessive and suffocatingcompression, above all in hot climates, the solutions offered by saidelastomeric yarns is not always optimal.

AIMS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention aims at reducing to a high extent or at whollyeliminating some of the above-mentioned technical and manufacturinglimitations, so as to produce automatically tubular knitwear itemswithout longitudinal seams, suitably modeled with original economical,technical, aesthetic and commercial purposes.

A main aim of the present invention consists in providing a method forthe production of suitably shaped tubular items, automatically producedwith the continuous motion of the needle cylinder.

A further aim consists in a method for the production of tubularknitwear items, equipped with one or more internal frills Bi and withtwo-layer welts or rims.

An additional aim consists in providing a method for the production oftubular items made of two layers or concentric fabrics and producedcontinuously, both associated to a common welt, even a double one, saidwelt being produced by means of both the dial or other needle bed, andthe selection of alternated needles.

Another aim consists in providing a method for the production of tubularitems with two concentric layers, at least one of which has the functionof a shaped bra. Further aims result from the description, examples andenclosed drawings, per se or in combination one with the other, togetherwith the final claims.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The above mentioned aims are substantially achieved by a method anddevice for producing automatically shaped tubular knitwear items, andproducts obtained thereby, according to the appended claims.

The features of the invention and the advantages deriving thereof aremore evident thanks to the following non limiting description ofembodiments provided by way of examples, and advantageously apply tomost of circular knitting machines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a fabric having frills Bi made only with oddneedles AD, with even needles AP not operating;

FIG. 1 a shows a needle A, usually housed within the bed or cylinder(not shown), on whose stem the underlying fabric and the inner frill Biare still engaged;

FIG. 1 b is a view similar to FIG. 1 a with an “open” frill Bi;

FIGS. 2 and 2 a technically show the technical pattern for theproduction of the three-dimensional knit frills Bi;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the needles carrying out the sequencesfor the production of knit frills Bi;

FIG. 4 shows a knitted tube scarcely shaped according to the prior art;

FIG. 5 shows a knitted tube strongly shaped;

FIGS. 6 to 12 show different embodiments of women's clothes shaped andconformed to the body by the inner frills Bi, variously arranged;

FIG. 13 shows a garment 1 made of two concentric layers continuouslyproduced;

FIG. 14 shows a swimsuit 1, with two concentric layers only in the uppertrunk and breast portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The characteristics of the invention and the advantages resultingthereof will be more evident from the following description ofembodiments provided by way of example, and can be advantageouslyapplied to the majority of circular machines.

These results can be easily reached according to the invention, and tomere descriptive non-limiting purposes, a great part of the inventionrelates to a modern circular machine of the “full electronic” type.

The present invention partly refers to the teachings contained in theItalian patent no. 1255008 belonging to the same proprietor,schematically shown in FIGS. 1-2-3. In a few words, said patent relatesto the production of circular knitwear items characterized by fabriczones with differentiated growth due to the exclusion of a given numberof needles, alternated with respect to the adjacent ones, for instance1:1, or 2:1-2:2 and the like.

Contrary to the rules, during the fabric-building process a great partof inputs or commands usually directed to the needles is not sent to apart of the latter, following a given pattern or program according tothe original design. This results in the exclusion of the needleswithout inputs or commands from the knitting process: said exclusion, iftotal and related to specific zones, causes floating yarns instead ofthe knitted fabric. Said floating yarns are then handled by means ofsome operating needles A, FIG. 1, suitably spaced, with the doublepurpose of reducing the length of floating yarns and of creatinginteresting knitted structures, that is to say the innerthree-dimensional frills Bi, FIG. 1. Therefore, the invention is carriedout by handling said floating yarns transformed into knitted fabric, thelatter being produced only with a part of the needles which are presentin the concerned areas or zones. For instance only even needles AP, FIG.1, will be excluded, or alternated pairs of needles, i.e. three-needleoperating groups followed by one or more excluded needles, and so on.

The simultaneous presence of operating needles alternated with excludedneedles, (FIGS. 1-3), in specific zones and/or for an even relativelylong time (corresponding to a suitable number of knitted courses, FIG.2), is the sufficient and necessary premise for the manufacture of aparticularly knitted fabric, built by operating needles andcorresponding loops AD, though interrupted and still crossed to excludedneedles and loops AP, so as to produce the closed knitted frill with twolayers or cloths Bi, FIG. 1, within the usual knitted tube.

The technical pattern of the frill Bi in FIG. 2 shows that only the oddneedles A1, A3 and the following produce fabric, whereas the even ones,A2, A4 and the following are not operating for a large number ofcourses: from no. 1 to no. x.

The perspective view of FIG. 3 shows the excluded even needles A2, andthe following, alternated to the odd needles A1, A3 and the following,with the corresponding last loops or stitches B.

Such fabric growth or additional frill Bi is characterized on the plainside of the knitted fabric by a perfect seam due to the stretching ofthe loops or stitches of non-operating needles AP, which are thereforeexcluded from the building process of said frill, whose height and widthis repeatable or variable. Said three-dimensional frills Bi areparticularly efficient in horizontal and diagonal directions and, ifsuitably placed or repeated, they can help the support of anatomicportions such as breast, abdomen, glutei.

Generally, a lot of knitted clothes are finished with long cuttingoperations along pre-established lines and then assembled with difficultand expensive sewing operations. On the other hand, some of the tubularitems mentioned in the introduction are shaped to a small extent byusing different structures and fabric thicknesses, so as to define oneor more fabric portions or zones with respect to others, i.e. to suitthem as much as possible to the shape of the human body.

In the example known from the prior art shown in FIG. 4, the initialknitted tube 1, provided with a double welt with two layers 2 and 3,produced without using elastomeric yarns, is shaped to a limited extentby using different structures and fabric thicknesses along the hatchedareas indicated with S.

In the following FIG. 5 the knitted tube shows bents or stronglyaccentuated or modeled areas, indicated with S1, which can be usuallyobtained by means of cutting and sewing operations, or by usingso-called elastic yarns. In a first preferred embodiment the inventionis firstly implemented by preparing a work cycle or jacquard design,i.e. direct and/or precluded inputs to needles and/or jacks and/or otherelements contributing directly or indirectly to the knitting process, bymeans of a suitable graphics workstation and/or control and/or storagedevices, or by means of electromechanical, magnetic, optical apparatus,and other similar means suitable to said purpose. According to theinvention the knitted tube 1 of FIG. 6 begins in a known way from thedouble welt 2 with a continuous selection of alternated needles, forinstance the odd ones, or with all needles in an operating status andwith the help of the jacks of the dial (not shown).

After completing said double welt by releasing the dial hooks or thestitch seam by operating the previously excluded needles, e.g. the evenones, production goes on in a usual way for a suitable number of knittedcourses, preferably of jersey fabric.

On the breast, according to the jacquard design and its correspondingprogram or work cycle, the textile machine produces fabric withdifferentiated growth, said fabric being characterized by symmetricalhorizontal and/or diagonal lines formed by inner frills Bi, alreadyshown in FIG. 1, so as to define and shape the knitted cups for thebreasts and to gradually reduce the diameter of the knitted tube.

In practice, the knitting process is characterized by the simultaneousproduction of loops or single stitches contributing to the formation ofthe knitted tube, variously interrupted by loops or stitchescontributing only to the production of said inner frills Bi. FIG. 6shows along the trunk and back a series of frills Bi with variable widthand depth, which can suitably reduce the fabric growth so as to shape itto the small size of the waist or belt.

Towards the pelvis said frills Bi tend to decrease until they completelydisappear. The production of item 1 goes on with a suitable number ofknitted courses and the remaining frills Bi on the legs have mainlyaesthetic functions. Eventually, the manufactured item 1 is completedwith a double welt 3 in the usual way.

According to the invention the programmed interruption of thefabric-building process by a part of the cylinder needles on knittedcourses or ribs, i.e. on pre-established knitted zones or areas, causesthe structural “deformation” of the knitted tube according to thejacquard design or set work cycle.

The tubular knitwear item 1 of FIG. 7, in which the trouser is obtainedby the following cutting/sewing operation, is produced with a machinehaving a more suitable diameter and/or fineness, and therefore it doesnot require any excessive shaping operations, thus obtaining thenecessary narrowing on the belt with a reduced use of frills Bi. Toadditional purposes, i.e. to increase a well-defined anatomic comfort,it is provided for the frills Bi, which are also indicated with ZSV inthe abdomen area.

In the embodiment of FIG. 8 the knitwear item 1 is obtained by the usualinitial knitted tube provided with the usual double welts, also elasticwelts 2 and 3. According to the invention said knitted tube is shaped ormodeled by means of long diagonal frills Bi, suitably arranged, whichalso have an important aesthetic and commercial function.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is a garment 1 largely characterized bythe use of frills Bi, which, suitably arranged, also purposely lift aportion of the lower welt 3, indicated with arrow F. Considering thevariants resulting from productive or technical-textile factors, theupper welt 2 can also be lowered, a satisfying result obtained withoutthe usual expensive cutting-sewing operations.

In FIGS. 10-11-12 the very tight dress 1 is variously characterized bythe presence and arrangement of frills Bi. According to the invention itis possible not only to vary to a wide extent the degree of adherence ofthe clothes produced, but the programmed structural deformation of theknitted tube is integrated, when necessary, by the stylistic search fora pleasant arrangement of said frills, with the advantageous result ofintegrating useful and functional aspects according to commerciallyappreciable aesthetic criteria. The above-mentioned figures show theclothes indicated with 1 in aesthetically and functionally differentembodiments.

For instance, in FIG. 12 the large number of frills Bi placed on theback increase the degree of local compression, whereas in FIG. 11 thepart indicated with 4 is made of jersey fabric with a higher degree ofelasticity and more shaped than the adjacent areas, which arecharacterized by a large number of frills Bi.

The garment of FIG. 12 is particularly characterized by a plurality ofsuitably arranged frills and by a triple lower double welt 3.

FIG. 13 shows another knitwear item falling within the framework of theinvention: the tubular item 1 is made of two concentric fabrics joinedby a common double welt 2. The manufacturing process normally beginsfrom the inner double welt 3A, and therefore from the inner fabric IF,and goes on as far as the upper double welt 2, obtained by means of thedial jacks or alternated needles only. After releasing the said jacks,the knitting process goes on with the production of the outer fabric 1as far as the lower double welt 3.

The outer fabric 1 is wider and may have a different length, color,yarn, structure (also with open work) and/or double welt 3, and itcovers, even only partially, the underlying inner fabric, or vice versa.

In further detail, the inner fabric IF, having the function of a teddy,is characterized by a usual initial double welt 3A with variable height,if necessary joined or sewn on the crutch, followed by a suitable numberof knitted courses as far as the series of frills Bi for compression orabdominal support ZSV.

From the hips and as far as the upper double welt 2 the inner knittedtube IF undergoes first a rapid narrowing and then a gradual andcontinuous widening to shape the upper portion of the trunk, botheffects being due to the large number of long frills Bi suitablyarranged.

Eventually, small frills Bi are placed between and around the breasts toshape the breast. The framework of the present invention also includesthe knitwear item shown in FIG. 14, which schematically shows a swimsuit1 provided with the upper double welt 2 directly connected to the innerknitted fabric IF having functions of a shaped bra with a plurality offrills Bi, which are present on the whole item.

Also in this case the manufacturing process preferably, though notnecessarily, begins from the double welt 3 and goes on producing theinner fabric IF as far as the upper double welt 2; therefore, after theusual release of the dial's jacks the fabric goes on and ends on theinguinal portion.

After the knitting stage, the inner part IF, i.e. the shaped bra, isbent inwards, so that the resulting knitwear item is made of twopartially overlapping concentric fabrics.

The large number of frills Bi, beyond resulting in the desired anatomicconformation, greatly contributes to improve the final aspect of theitem.

With particular reference to the tubular items shown in FIGS. 13 and 14,considering fashion trends and other factors which often changeconsumers' tastes, the invention also describes and claims theimplementation of knitwear items, even of the inside-out type, i.e.designed and carried out so as to stress the three-dimensional effectsof the so-called inner frills Bi, which, placed outside and possiblyalso opened or crumpled, FIG. 1B, produce an original variety oftextile, aesthetic and functional effects.

The opened frill Bi is obtained when, at the end of said frill, thecorresponding needles discharge the last loops and the fabric thereforetends to close or crumple on itself.

With reference to tubular items with two concentric layers, theinvention also claims its different use, characterized in that saiditems can be worn and shown both normally and inside out, an importantdetail from the technical-textile point of view, above all in presenceof fabric produced with colored yarns and with the plating or “vanisé”technique, or if one wants to stress the transparent effect between thebottom fabric IF, which is substantially different from the one lyingabove as far as yarn, color or structure are concerned, and the topfabric being made, also partially, of so-called “open-work” ortransparent yarns and/or structures.

The present description, though necessarily limited, provides peopleskilled in the art with wide possibilities of improvement all fallingwithin the framework of the invention.

1. A method for producing automatically shaped tubular knitwear items(1) in circular knitting machines, said machines having at least aneedle-bed, said method comprising: producing a first length of tubularknitted fabric having a cylindrical shape and ending with a last knittedcourse; excluding from the knitting process a predetermined number ofneedles (A); choosing said number of needles according to apredetermined sequence from at least a first portion of said needle-bed,said number of needles corresponding to a first portion of knitted tube;producing a second length of tubular fabric to include at least a firstportion of knitted tube to have a differentiated growth of knittedcourses and loops with exceeding stitches or inner frills (Bi);producing a second portion of knitted tube; corresponding said secondlength of tubular knitted fabric during said production to said firstportion of said needle bed; obtaining a programmed three-dimensionaldeformation of knitted tube; reintroducing, after a predetermined timeinterval, said predetermined number of needles (A) of the needle-bed inthe knitting process and producing a third length of tubular knittedfabric; continuously moving the needle cylinder during production ofsaid length of tubular items; shaping and modeling said tubular itemswithout standard cutting and sewing operations and without using elasticyarns; excluding inputs or commands normally directed to the needlesduring said production of said tubular items; maintaining saidproduction in accordance with a jacquard design and/or work cycle ofsaid knitting machine.
 2. A method for producing automatically shapedtubular knitwear items (1) in circular knitting machines, said machineshaving at least a needle-bed, said method comprising: producing a firstlength of tubular knitted fabric having a cylindrical shape and endingwith a last knitted course; excluding from the knitting process apredetermined number of needles (A); choosing said number of needlesaccording to a predetermined sequence from at least a first portion ofsaid needle-bed, said number of needles corresponding to a first portionof knitted tube; producing a second length of tubular fabric to includeat least a first portion of knitted tube to have a differentiated growthof knitted courses and loops with exceeding stitches or inner frills(Bi); producing a second portion of knitted tube; corresponding saidsecond length of tubular knitted fabric during said production to saidfirst portion of said needle bed; obtaining a programmedthree-dimensional deformation of knitted tube; reintroducing, after apredetermined time interval, said predetermined number of needles (A) ofthe needle-bed in the knitting process and producing a third length oftubular knitted fabric; continuously moving the needle cylinder duringproduction of said length of tubular items; shaping and-modeling saidtubular items without standard cutting and sewing operations and withoutusing elastic yarns; producing said knitted courses at least partlyaccording to a design or pattern and corresponding work cycle in whichalternating even needles of the needles (AP) are excluded from saidknitting process, while other alternating odd needles (AD) are stilloperated; maintaining said production in accordance with a jacquarddesign and/or work cycle of the knitting machine; and wherein saidknitted items (1) are characterized by an initial double welt (2)followed by a number of knitted courses which extend to a second doublewelt (3), said courses followed by a final waist.
 3. A method forproducing automatically shaped tubular knitwear items (1) in circularknitting machines, said machines having at least a needle-bed, saidmethod comprising: producing a first length of tubular knitted fabrichaving a cylindrical shape and ending with a last knitted course;excluding from the knitting process a predetermined number of needles(A); choosing said number of needles according to a predeterminedsequence from at least a first portion of said needle-bed, said numberof needles corresponding to a first portion of knitted tube; producing asecond length of tubular fabric to include at least a first portion ofknitted tube to have a differentiated growth of knitted courses andloops with exceeding stitches or inner frills (Bi); producing a secondportion of knitted tube; corresponding said second length of tubularknitted fabric during said production to said first portion of saidneedle bed; obtaining a programmed three-dimensional deformation ofknitted tube; reintroducing, after a predetermined time interval, saidpredetermined number of needles (A) of the needle-bed in the knittingprocess and producing a third length of tubular knitted fabric;continuously moving the needle cylinder during production of said lengthof tubular items; shaping and modeling said tubular items withoutstandard cutting and sewing operations and without using elastic yarns;corresponding needles (A) to the end of said frills (Bi); completelydischarging the last loops of the frills (Bi) from said needles (A)corresponding to said end of said frills; maintaining said production inaccordance with a jacquard design and/work cycle of the knittingmachine.
 4. A method for producing automatically shaped tubular knitwearitems (1) in circular knitting machines, said machines having at least aneedle-bed, said method comprising: producing a first length of tubularknitted fabric having a cylindrical shape and ending with a last knittedcourse; excluding from the knitting process a predetermined number ofneedles (A); choosing said number of needles according to apredetermined sequence from at least a first portion of said needle-bed,said number of needles corresponding to a first portion of knitted tube;producing a second length of tubular fabric to include at least a firstportion of knitted tube to have a differentiated growth of knittedcourses and loops with exceeding stitches or inner frills (Bi);producing a second portion of knitted tube; corresponding said secondlength of tubular knitted fabric during said production to said firstportion of said needle bed; obtaining a programmed three-dimensionaldeformation of knitted tube; reintroducing, after a predetermined timeinterval, said predetermined number of needles (A) of the needle-bed inthe knitting process and producing a third length of tubular knittedfabric; continuously moving the needle cylinder during production ofsaid length of tubular items; shaping and modeling said tubular itemswithout standard cutting and sewing operations and without using elasticyarns; turning said knitwear items inside out so as to stress the threedimensional affects of inter frills (Bi).
 5. A method for producingautomatically shaped tubular knitwear items (1) in circular knittingmachines, said machines having at least a needle-bed, said methodcomprising: producing a first length of tubular knitted fabric having acylindrical shape and ending with a last knitted course; excluding fromthe knitting process a predetermined number of needles (A); choosingsaid number of needles according to a predetermined sequence from atleast a first portion of said needle-bed, said number of needlescorresponding to a first portion of knitted tube; producing a secondlength of tubular fabric to include at least a first portion of knittedtube to have a differentiated growth of knitted courses and loops withexceeding stitches or inner frills (Bi); producing a second portion ofknitted tube; corresponding said second length of tubular knitted fabricduring said production to said first portion of said needle bed;obtaining a programmed three-dimensional deformation of knitted tube;reintroducing, after a predetermined time interval, said predeterminednumber of needles (A) of the needle-bed in the knitting process andproducing a third length of tubular knitted fabric; continuously movingthe needle cylinder during production of said length of tubular items;shaping and modeling said tubular items without standard cutting andsewing operations and without using elastic yarns; forming said knitteditem to have a top or outer fabric layer, and an underlying layer, saidtop or outer layer is comprised of different material than saidunderlying material.
 6. The method according to claim 3, characterizedin that the discharge of the last loops on part of the needles (A) iscarried out only progressively in at least a feed without yarn, at leasttemporarily.
 7. The method according to claim 3, characterized in thatthe fabric-building process of the excluded needles (A) is preceded bythe intervention of latch-opening devices and begins again onlyprogressively with selected alternated needles (A), in at least a feedwith yarn.
 8. The knitwear item (1) according to claim 1 characterizedby the presence of two preferably concentric layers, joined by at leasta common double welt (2), also closed by releasing loops with needles(A) or jacks housed in the dial.
 9. The knitwear item (1) according toclaim 1 characterized by the presence of at least one, upper and lower,rims or welts (3).
 10. The knitwear item (1) according to claim 1 havingtwo layers of variable length, characterized by the simultaneouspresence of front and reverse knitted zones, also produced with coloredyarns and by using the plating or “vanisé” technique.